Remover for snap-on jar lids

ABSTRACT

A jar-lid remover for snap-on type lids, particularly as used on conical-shaped containers, consisting of a rigid member longer than the height of the jar to be opened, the member adapted to be grasped with the jar in one hand with a contoured surface provided on the member fitting the side of the jar, the upper end of the member being against the lower edge of the lid, and the lower end of the member projecting below the jar, so that lowering the hand holding the jar and remover thereby bringing the lower end of the member into contact with a table surface, causes low-stress removal of the jar lid.

United States Patent Herold [4 1 Sept. 26, 1972 I 1 REMOVER FOR SNAP-ON JAR LlDS [21] Appl. No.: 91,410

[52] US. Cl ..8l/3.34 [51] Int. Cl. ..B67b 7/16 [58] Field of Search ..8l/3.3 R, 3.34, 3.46, 3.46 A,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,931,259 4/1960 Nicot ..81/3.46 A 1,005,755 10/1911 Simmons ..220/43 R 1,341,505 5/1920 Gueritey ..220/43 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 25,338 12/1919 Denmark ..220/43 Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker, Jr. Attorney-John F. McClellan, Sr.

[57] ABSTRACT A jar-lid remover for snap-on type lids, particularly as used on conical-shaped containers, consisting of a rigid member longer than the height of the jar to be opened, the member adapted to be grasped with the jar in one hand with a contoured surface provided on the member fitting the side of the jar, the upper end of the member being against the lower edge of the lid, and the lower end of the member projecting below the jar, so that lowering the hand holding the jar and remover thereby bringing the lower end of the member into contact with a table surface, causes lowstress removal of the jar lid.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures REMOVER FOR SNAP-N JAR LIDS This invention relates generally to closure remover and particularly to devices for removing snap-on type lids from jars. Typically such lids are found today on tapered glass jars containing cheese products and the like.

In the prior art, numerous lift-off lid removers are disclosed, usually comprising hooked means for engaging one edge of the lid by a pry-bar which may or may not include provision for using an opposite edge of the lid as a fulcrum. Both hand operated and surfacemounted removers have long been known. Additionally, various lid-puncturing devices have been disclosed, even though these as well as the lever types, commonly prevent rescaling lids once removed by them. Also found in the prior art are expanding-wedge type removers for insertion between the lip of a jar and the overhanging edge of the jar closure. Typically there are plier-type devices. These like all the other handheld removers previously known in the art require two hands for efficient, safe use. Running through all types of direct lift remover designs for lids which have been known and described in the prior art is one requirement: the remover must have relatively greater tensile strength and bending rigidity in combination than wood and currently available plastics.

However, this is the age of plastics because of their low costs, attractive appearance, and ease of fabrication. Wood also is being featured today in higherpriced articles, including kitchen appliances, wherever it serves efficiently because of the pleasant appearance and feel of wood.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an efficient jar-lid lifter which is ideally adapted for production in either all-plastic or all-wood versions. A further object is to provide an article as described of extremely simple structure and elegant proportions which is at the same time cheap enough to be given away as a premium and handsome and useful enough to be kept as a permanent kitchen utensil. A further object of this invention is to provide a closure lifter as described which easily and effortlessly lifts jar closures without at the same time any tendency to distort the closure, so they can again be used to seal the jar with the original tightness of fit.

Other objects of the invention are to supply closures as described which are operable by one hand, safe to use and carry, durable and sanitary, size adaptable and which have a broad area suitable for carrying advertisin g or other written material. The remover supplied according to this invention is called the I-IANDI-CAP REMOVER.

This invention is characterized by a provision of a compressively rigid length of material or remover longer than the jar to be opened and adapted to contact the jar.

These and additional objects of the invention will become apparent upon examination of the following description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the general method of using this invention to remove a jar closure;

FIG. 2 is a view of the jar-contacting face of an embodi-ment of this invention; and FIGS. 3 and 4 are transverse sections of embodiments of this invention.

Now taking up the Figures in detail, in FIG. 1 tapered jar J is of the type in widespread use for packaging quality food products such as cheese and spreads. Such jars are glass, and are tapered in the form of a truncated cone from a wide mouth upper portion to a smaller base making it convenient to remove the contents in serving once the jar is opened. The upper part of the jar has a circular recess around the opening for retaining the closure. Supplied as a closure is metal lid L, which is recurved around the periphery so that it snaps in place and is retained by frictional engagement with the circular recess around the jar opening. A resilient seal, such as a rubber or plastic annulus is ordinarly affixed inside the lid around the periphery where it is compressed against the upper edge of the jar and hermetically seals the contents when the lid is closed.

In this arrangement, although the lid is usually lightweight unlike some screw-on types, as long as the lid is undistorted it can be relied on to re-seal the contents of the jar even after repeated removal. However, it is difficult to remove the lid using ordinary hook-andpry techniques without deforming the edge of the lid at least slightly, making any resealing more apparent than real. Removing the lid in the first place is difficult using ordinary removers, because the taper of the jar makes grasping difficult and the tight fit of the lid requires considerable effort to release. Prying with the edge of a knife or wrenching with the hook of a can opener can cause cuts from slippage and from breakage of the glass lip. Two hands are required for the removal with priorart hand-manipulated removers.

The remover of this invention, shown at 10 in FIG. 1, is a direct lift-off opener, not a pry-type. It consists of a rigid, flattened elongated body, channeled along the length of one broad face 16 to accommodate curvature of the sides of jars, having upper and lower ends 12 and 14 with transverse surfaces for engaging respectively the lower edges of jar lids and supporting surfaces such as table T.

The remover is provided in various sizes, the length being in each size greater than the height of the jar to be opened.

In operation, the remover 10 is grasped with a hand I-I against the jar, with the channeled side 16 of the remover fitted to the curvature of the jar and the upper end 12 of the remover contacting the underside of the lid L. The hand is then lowered, impacting the lower end 14 of the remover against a suitable surface such as table T. This flexes the lid uniformly over the width of the lid without localizing bending stresses, and gently slips the lid loose. The lid remains in the hand with the jar and remover. No matter how light the construction of the lid, or how tight the fit, the lid cannot be distorted on removal, using this invention, and will always re-seal hermetically, protecting the purity of the contents of the jar.

Making the remover of plastic such as high-density polyethylene or polypropylene, or of wood, instead of metal, is entirely feasible, and much to be preferred. Only compressive rigidity along the length of the remover is required, and that is supplemented by support from the jar and the hand. Metal might tend to Plastic is well adapted for production by injection molding, and the broad faces of the remover according to this invention are ideally adapted to carry molded-in advertising matter or instructional matter, or both.

FIG. 2 shows a view of the channeled face 16 of an embodiment of this invention. Both the width of the channel and the width of the remover are tapered to provide a reliable fit with the jar and a comfortable fit in the hand when in use, the two tapers being in substantial conformance.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken at A-A of FIG. 2, showing the stepped-edge contour for receiving and stabilizing on the curvatures of jars. The steps provide for fit to more than one contour and help prevent sidewise slippage on the jar, whether in contact with glass or label.

FIG. 4 is a section like that of FIG. 3, showing an alternative, smoothly arced contour.

Tapering the channel in the jar contacting face positions the remover parallel with the outline of the jar, preventing lower end of the remover from angling under the jar.

Obviously many modifications and variations of this invention are possible within the light of these teachings. For example, the side of the remover could be parallel, not tapered, the channel could be parallel,

not tapered, and other cross-sections could be provided.

It is therefore to be understood that no limitation is intended within the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. A jar lid remover for removing snap-on lids from conical-shaped glass jars with minimum distortion of the lids, comprising: a lengthwise tapering elongate member of plastic material having compressive rigidity, said tapering elongate member being largest at the upper end and tapering to a relatively smaller lower end, thereby adapting the jar lid remover for being clasped against a tapering jar; said tapering elongate member having a jar-lid engagement broad surface on the upper end substantially transverse to the length and thickness of said tapering elongate member, a lower end on the tapering elongate member adapted for impacting on a table surface or the like, and a longitudinal surface having a longitudinal channel throughout the length thereof, said longitudinal channel tapering in conformance with said tapering elongate member and having stepped edges forming in section an outwardly opening, grooved, seating and guide structure for adaptively engaging the side of a conical shaped jar. 

1. A jar lid remover for removing snap-on lids from conicalshaped glass jars with minimum distortion of the lids, comprising: a lengthwise tapering elongate member of plastic material having compressive rigidity, said tapering elongate member being largest at the upper end and tapering to a relatively smaller lower end, thereby adapting the jar lid remover for being clasped against a tapering jar; said tapering elongate member having a jar-lid engagement broad surface on the upper end substantially transverse to the length and thickness of said tapering elongate member, a lower end on the tapering elongate member adapted for impacting on a table surface or the like, and a longitudinal surface having a longitudinal channel throughout the length thereof, said longitudinal channel tapering in conformance with said tapering elongate member and having stepped edges forming in section an outwardly opening, grooved, seating and guide structure for adaptively engaging the side of a conical shaped jar. 